Class Abilities
-Wealth: Receives a yearly allowance of 50 koku for every point of Cha modifier, to be spent in order to accrue favors.
-Talent: Gains +4 on any skill selected for skill focus, instead of +2.
-Style and grace: Receives a +4 competence bonus on Charisma-based skills used in social situations.
-Gossip Able to use Gather Information without penalty in order to learn more about rumors of a particular topic.
-Your Life is Mine: Courtier ability. Once per day per point of Charisma modifier, may attempt Charm person as a sorcerer of her level. The effect must be upon a character or NPC of lower level in order to work.

Equipment
….

Ancestors
-Doji Taehime (5): When making a roll using Charisma, Wisdom, or Intelligence skills, descendants of Taehime may add +3 to their die rolls.

Advantages
-Voice (2): A character with Voice has a +2 bonus for any skill rolls involving speaking.
-Benten’s Blessing (3): People are attracted to you. It may be your looks or your charm, or it may be both. You just have that certain "something." Whenever you make a Charisma based skill check, you may add +2 to the die roll.

Disadvantages
-Epilepsy (4): Epilepsy is a rare disease, which can cause rigidity of muscles, shaking symptoms, and even death. It is a genetic dysfunction, which often arises when the character is under stress. Also, flashing lights (such as a fireworks display) can trigger a seizure. The Rokugani believe that a character with this malady has been touched by the kami, and that they are a channel for divine influences. Thus, any character that shows obvious signs of epilepsy (shaking fits, spasms, etc.) might be shunned by common society, but treated as a mystic or holy man by those brave enough to come near. When a character with Epilepsy is in a stressful situation, they must make a Will save at a DC of 15 to resist a seizure. If the character enters a seizure, they may make Willpower roll each round at a DC of 20 to end the seizure.
-Colorblind (1): Some samurai have eyes that are paler than most of Rokugan's natives, and sometimes this causes colorblindness. The Colorblind character can see colors as shades of gray, but cannot tell the difference between shades. This results in –2 to all Knowledge: Nobility checks when trying to recognize a clan or family mon.

Personality
….

Background
….

"It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways." -Buddha

Personality
Normally Ai is very well-versed in etiquette and never shows anger
or reveal any other strong emotion. Neverthless in her life she
occasionally happens to behave strangely or exaggerately for a day,
as she would sometimes need to blow out a burden of hidden and
contained feelings; recently she has noticed how this behaviour of
hers usually happens after a recurring nightmare where she is lost
or abandoned in the shadowlands (whatever may be the reason for
these nightmares, it is at present unknown to her).
Although she is definitely not shy at all, she also seems to often measure
her words as she would like to avoid talking about her private self.

Background
Kakita Ai is the 5th and youngest daughter of Kakita Yoshimori
and Daidoji Akane. She and her brothers and sisters have all been
educated to the code of bushido and teached in many traditional
skills such as calligraphy, different fields of knowledge and the
performance of the tea ceremony. She was supposed to be a
well-educated maiden in society as much as a good samurai in
battle, and therefore received regular training in the family school of
samurai, but she didn't seem particularly gifted for combat since her
tender age, and furtermore she had occasionally shown some
whimsical behaviour which raised doubts about her strength
to follow the bushido code flawlessly.

At the same time her mother Akane, who was an experienced
Shugenja, was not particularly fond that all her children were being
trained only in the art of war. She had in fact already tried with
Ai's elder brothers to have them trained at the shugenja family
school instead, but with no success. When she noticed that Ai had
a somewhat better disposition towards this, she took advantage
of the facts that Ai was the youngest and especially the least
promising as a samurai, and managed to convince her husband
Yoshimori that the girl was hardly going to become a worthy
samurai and had better switch to the family school of magic,
although she was already not a child anymore (Akane has often
privately given her daughter extra trainings in magic to make up
for the lost time).

In any case, Ai didn't abandon martial studies completely, and after
realising to be quite agile she focused on the art of iaijutsu technique,
although she mostly trains by herself.

At this day, Kakita Ai is in her early twenty. Because of her young
age, and because she is still somewhat a missed samurai in the mind
of her family, she has never been assigned important tasks for
the Crane clan and she has actually ventured in the shadowlands
only once a long time ago, as part of her samurai training.

last edit: added weapon attacks & damage, corrected saving throws

Last edited by Li Shenron; Tuesday, 14th June, 2005 at 05:30 PM.

"There is no survival without order, there is no evolution without chaos.""You have to see past the RAW to understand the rules of the game.""And rules are OVERRATED by the way!

Class Abilities
-Unarmed strike: Unarmed strikes are considered armed.
-Stunning attack: If a foe is damaged by a declared stunning attack, they must make a Fortitude save (DC 16). If they fail they are stunned for one round.
-Evasion: If Cho makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals have damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage.
-Still mind: Cho gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the school of enchantment.
-Slow fall (30 ft.): If at least one hand it touching a wall, Cho takes no damage from falling 30 ft. or less.
-Purity of body: Cho is immune to non-magical diseases.
-Sun tattoo: 1/day gives a +2 to a single attack roll, ability check, or skill check if done in full daylight

Equipment
-Purity’s Strike - This amulet was given to you by your sensei on the day of your gempuku. It allows you to cast true strike for your unarmed attacks twice per day.
-Sandals of striding and springing - These sandles are slightly green with a small frog embroidered on the side.
-Obi of giant’s strength (4,000gp)
-Haori of resistance +1 (1,000gp)
-Yasuki’s furoshiki sack (2,000gp)
-+1 nunchaku of balance (3,582gp)
-Bracers of armor +1 (1,000gp)
-2 sun draughts (as potions of cure moderate wounds) (600gp)
-Potion of scales of the lizard (50gp) - This resembles a small lizard made out of sugar. It must be eaten to get the full effect.
-15 shuriken (15gp)
-2 Fingers of Jade - These are pieces of light green jade, thick and flat and about two inches long. (200gp)
-Straw Mat (5sp)
-Bedroll (1sp)
-Soap (5sp)
-Flint & Steel (1gp)
-10 Day's Rations (5gp)
-2 Waterskins (2gp)
-Incense – Twenty five-inch sticks of sandalwood incense in a green lacquered case with a dragon painted on it; the case also serves as a holder for lit incense. (10gp)

Money
533gp, 9sp

Respected Ancestors: Mirumoto Tokeru and Mirumoto Ryudumu (as taken from the Soul of Loyalty feat)

Advantages

Hands of Stone (5) - Jiujutsu combat techniques are brutal in the extreme, and make good use of the individual’s great skill. But you are a prodigy even by a jiujutsu master’s standards. In barehanded combat, you may add double your strength modifier to damage.

Disadvantages

Compulsion (3 points, DC 20) - You have an uncontrollable urge (drinking, gambling, a love of geisha) that gets you into trouble. You must make a Will save every time you confront your compulsion to keep you from losing control Cho's compulsion is that he will accept a quest to further his honor with little thought as to if he can accomplish it. Also he will tend to turn just an idle request into a sacred quest.

Haunted (2 points, three times a story) - You are haunted by the spirit of an ancestor who is not happy with you. He is distracting, insulting, and irritating, but he is also your ancestor, which means all you can do is try to do better. Cho's visions were the result of one of his ancestors attempting to put him on the correct path. More "corrective" visions may be forthcoming if he does something stupid.

Appearance: Cho is a slightly tall young man, solidly built, with a smooth, hairless head and face. His eyes are a rich, ruddy brown, and his skin is somewhat tanned and weathered from traveling outdoors. He wears loose canvan pants with a red and gold obi and haori, plain leather sandles on his feet, with a furoshiki sack in his hand. Thrust in his obi is a nunchaku and several shuriken. Under his haori, he has a tattoo of a sun inscribed on his chest in brilliant colors of red, orange, and yellow.

Personality and History: Togashi Cho, member of the Togashi family of the Dragon clan, on the path to becoming one of the ise zumi, the tattooed monks. Born into the monastery, he was to begin training at an early age. His parents were both retired ise zumi, imparting their wisdom to the younger generation. They met and wedded late in life, and perhaps that was the reason Cho was born with a strange birth defect. He has not a single hair on his body. Utterly average in height and weight otherwise, Cho treated his odd defect as a symbol on how to conduct his life.

As he was, he decided to concentrate on smoothness, perfection, and purity to overcome his shortcomings. He has high aspirations for becoming the best ise zumi of the Dragon clan, and trains hard as he can to earn this honor for himself. He has what might be called an excess of zeal, because he takes every task he is offered on the hopes that he might be able to prove and improve himself. Sometimes he suffers from an excess of enthusiasm in attempting to prove himself, for he has difficulty in saying no to even the most difficult of tasks. However, his will is unfailing, even if flesh holds him back.

Known affectionately as "The Hairless One," Cho had two unusual incidents in his youth that cemented his desire to be the best the Dragon clan could offer. When meditating on a mountain known as the Peak of Storms, he had a vision. He saw himself, naked and curled up like a small child, looking almost like a smooth egg. As he watched, he saw cracks appear in his skin, running and forming into tattoos of astounding complexity. As the tattoos appeared, Cho saw himself unfold and stand, staring at himself. He now had the haughty mien of a dragon, with ridged and scaled eyebrows and crest.

The second incident was much like the first, though this time he meditated in the garden. Having driven himself to become as a powerful dragon, he had begun to overreach himself in pride. Again he beheld a vision of himself as a proud ise zumi with draconic features. However, now the features began to overtake him, turning him from noble to bestial. Fangs grew enormously, and his postured hunched like that of a ravening beast. Cho suddenly understood that the pride of the dragon was overtaking him, and he spent many more days in peaceful meditation and fasting.

He emerged from his contemplation focused not on pride, but on obedience, not on power, but on skill, not on arrogance, but on loyalty. His change from prideful princeling to obedience penitent surprised the more senior monks, but they were quite willing to believe him. Now Cho focuses on improving his skill for the good and the righteous, his Clan, and the people.

Class Abilities
-Wealth: Receives a yearly allowance of 50 koku for every point of Cha modifier, to be spent in order to accrue favors.
-Talent: Gains +4 on any skill selected for skill focus, instead of +2.
-Style and grace: Receives a +4 competence bonus on Charisma-based skills used in social situations.
-Gossip Able to use Gather Information without penalty in order to learn more about rumors of a particular topic.
-Taunt and Rally able to bless allies in 50’ radius and doom one opponent per 3 levels.
-Trap Finding/Disabling
-Sneak Attack +1d6
-Evasion

Money:
356gp +150gp for the good of the Lion clan and Ikoma family (refreshed annually), 16sp

Ancestors
-Chose Warrior Instinct feat

Advantages
-Benten’s Blessing (3)
People are attracted to you. It may be your looks or your charm, or it may be both. You just have that certain "something." Whenever you make a Charisma based skill check, you may add +2 to the die roll.

-Quick (3)
You're just faster than other folks. When determining Initiative, roll two dice and keep the higher.

-Servant (Variable--4 points: Spy)
Normally, a samurai has a single servant who manages his home and general needs. If you wish to have more servants than that, you can purchase it with this Advantage. You should not have more than your Glory x 3 servants. Monks may not have servants.

-Voice (2)
A character with Voice has a +2 bonus for any skill rolls involving speaking.

-Luck (3)
For every level (one for Itarabi) of Luck, you may re-roll one unsuccessful roll during a session.

Disadvantages
-Compulsion DC 15 (2) - Cannot pass up a chance to play and bet on games including Go, Shogi and Sedane. Must make a Will save every time you confront your compulsion to keep you from losing control.

-Haunted (3 times a story--2) - Itarabi's brother often lets him know he is not living up to the family name. You are haunted by the spirit of an ancestor who is not happy with you. He is distracting, insulting, and irritating, but he is also your ancestor, which means all you can do is try to do better.

-Wrath of the Kami—Water and Air (3 points per element)
There is something about you that the spirits of Rokugan do not like. Perhaps your soul was born unclean, your ancestors wish to show their disfavor of you, or you have offended them in some way. In any case, the kami of the Empire go out of their way to harm you when they are directed to do so by a shugenja. Choose one or more elements. Any time a spell of any element chosen is cast to harm or hinder you directly; it is cast as if the caster were 2 levels higher.

Personality
Itarabi is a handsome young man of average height and build. He would be unremarkable merely for his appearance, yet there is something about him that makes him the center of attention when he enters the room. All eyes are upon him as he strides confidently past in the finest clothes. This is compounded whenever he speaks. His voice is compelling and people find that they want to hear what he has to say no mater how mundane. He is a favorite at society functions and always on the guest list for every occasion. The children flock to him when he fulfills his roll as a storyteller for his clan. He is clean-shaven and his hair is cut stylishly and never seems out of place. He is always clad in immaculately tailored black red silks with the Lion boldly stitched in Gold. The finely wrought Wakizashi with the ivory handle and golden lion’s head pommel is worn proudly at his side as a mark of his honor and station. Its scabbard is covered in painted silk depicting scenes of the pastoral glory of the Lion lands. A light chainshirt hidden carefully under tailored clothes serves to make him look fuller of chest and broader of shoulder.
Itarabi is a good and honorable person at heart. Unfortunately, his chaotic nature and passion for gambling make it hard for him to stay on the path of honor. As he has been living the life of Itarabi he has been striving to be the perfect Lion Courtier, but it isn't easy for him. He is a marvelous storyteller and his natural charm combines with his love of people to make him welcome where ever he goes. He always tries hard to leave his friends feeling good and his enemies feeling inferior.

Background
Ikoma Itarabi is living a lie. He is in fact an imposter. He is the illegitimate half brother of the deceased Itarabi and his real name is the more humble Sukui. He started life as an unrecognized illegitimate son of an Ikoma noble. He was a teenager before he even knew who his father was. His mother was not of the noble class and was a simple herbal doctor. His father had come to know her through her practice. Sukui was raised to follow in his mother’s footsteps, but he found the life of gathering and dispensing herbs to be boring and craved the excitement of the streets. He loved to play games and gamble from a young age. An expensive habit for a young man of limited means. He found that information about his mother’s patients’ medical concerns was valuable. He also had a gift for getting others to tell him their secrets. By the time he was twenty he had a reputation as an informant. He moved in noble circles, but always by the back door. Occasionally, he prepared more dangerous mixtures of herbs for clients—things that could cause sleep, illness or induce people to talk more freely than they should. He occasionally even acquired things from their rightful owner for others, but gathering knowledge and secrets was his forte. The gambling continued to be his favorite pastime and within a year of his mother’s death Sukui had lost his mother’s shop. He turned increasingly to the sale of information to feed his habit. Occasionally, he preformed other tasks for underworld figures to pay off his debts as well.
His brother Itarabi became a frequent customer and often employed Sukui to find out things for him. While Itarabi looked much like his brother he was somewhat dull and socially awkward. He needed the extra information Sukui could provide in order to succeed in his duties as Courtier. He began to take Sukui with him as he traveled so that his skills were always at hand. Thus, Sukui began to learn the role of a Courtier and get to know the appearance, habits and secrets of other important people, though he was always in the shadows. Itarabi’s career, which had been stalled by his limited ability, began to advance. The relationship proved favorable to both brothers for some years.
One night a little over a year ago Itarabi was sent on an important mission to the Crane Clan. He was traveling with Sukui and Shinoba the master of his household as well as other servants and men at arms. They were camped by a lake in the mountains near the edge of the Lion lands. Itarabi had wisely forbidden his servants to gamble. During Shinoba’s watch Sukui convinced him and a couple of the men to slip away from camp to play Shogi and drink plum wine. As they played, one of the fierce Oni of the mountains slipped into camp and began to slay all the people sleeping in the camp. Itarabi and his surviving men fought bravely, but with so many already slain it was hopeless. When Sukui and the others returned to camp they found the bodies of Itarabi and his men floating in the lake where the Oni had taken great pleasure in drowning them. The men at arms immediately committed seppuku out of guilt for deserting their post. Shinoba was debating whether to commit seppuku or to kill Sukui and then commit seppuku when the spirit of Itarabi appeared to them. He demanded that they complete his mission to the Crane or great dishonor would fall upon his house for failing in such an important mission. In their drunken state Shinoba and Sukui agreed. Thus, Sukui took up his brother’s name, and the family sword that marked him as Ikoma. Itarabi came to the Crane as planned. Sukui felt as if the sun were rising for the first time in his life. He had always been in the shadows and now was in the glorious light. His natural charisma and gifts of personal magnetism and voice made him a better Courtier than his brother had ever been. He reveled in his new role and his brother’s mission was a great success. It involved complex negotiations over several weeks. By night Itarabi appeared to Sukui to berate him and insist that he continue until the mission was done. By the end of this time Sukui was comfortable in the role of Itarabi.
Upon returning home to the Lion Sukui had intended to return the sword of his brother and slip back into obscurity. However, reports of his success had preceded him. The Ikoma welcomed him as a hero. He was praised and asked to repeat the tale of his success many times and much drink was served. An idea that had been in the back of his mind began to grow. Why go back to the life of a failed herbalist and informer? Shinoba was furious and threatened to tell all, but Sukui was able to convince him that continuing the sham was the best course for Shinoba as well. Did he want to lose his job, his honor and perhaps his life? With the servants lost and Itarabi having know wife who would know? Itarabi’s father was old with failing eyesight and his only sister was married and far away. Shinoba quietly paid the families of the lost servants and set the household in order.
So far Sukui has been a success as Itarabi he tries to take missions far from home where he is less likely to be around people who knew either Sukui or Itarabi well. He has been an excellent Courtier and so his superiors are happy and disinclined to ask questions. The new Itarabi still needs confidential information, but finds it harder to get information from the street, so he has hired an old friend from the street, Toku, to spy for him and pretend to be a servant. Sukui as Itarabi is a less demanding and more successful employer than his lost master and so Shinoba is content.
But all is not well. Itarabi/Sukui must live in fear that someone will see though his deception. As Sukui he dealt with a lot of underworld characters who would use the knowledge of his deception to gain a profit. The life of a Courtier is equally dangerous with all striving to gain an advantage over their rivals. Itarabi’s raising star has earned the envy of many and they would not hesitate to use his deception to have power over him. He was known to others as Sukui in this realm as well. As much as the new Itarabi enjoys his role, he still has a Chaotic nature that is at odds with the formal structure of Courtly life. His compulsion to gamble remains strong and he knows that going to the old gambling dens where he was known as Sukui could spell disaster. His brother’s spirit still haunts him alternately haranguing him for his dishonorable deception and encouraging him to do his best for the family name. Finally, while mortal realm has accepted the new Itarabi, the Kami as not so quick to forgive. They do not take this slighting of the celestial order lightly. The Kami of water and air are powerful at the mountain lake where Sukui failed his brother. They have shown there disfavor. It seems that whenever he sleeps out a storm blows in. He finds that when he rides in a boat the wind and sea do not cooperate and the voyage is long and difficult. If he is the target of magic the cost could be dire. Somewhere in the mountains an Oni knows the real Itarabi is dead and might wonder at the sight of a new Itarabi.
Thus Sukui wears hidden armor and sleeps with an obsidian dagger under his pillow. A bag is packed with a Rogue's tools, simple clothes, rice cakes and a few coins in case Itarabi ever need flee back to his life as Sukui.

Ancestors-Osusuki & Akomachi (3): Fox characters who purchase Osusuki and Akomachi as Ancestors are descended from the kits of their union, through human form. They automatically have the unusual green eyes of the Kitsune family. Further, they gain a +2 bonus for any die rolls made when they are in the forest of Kitsune Mori.-Kitsune Taboo: The individual cannot eat rice, but must make due with the natural berries and foods of the forest, supplemented by a diet of fish and fowl. In this way, they attune themselves to the forest, rather than to agriculture and the ways of mankind, and remember the kitsune oath to Inari, Lesser Fortune of Rice.

AdvantagesBenten’s Blessing (3): People are attracted to you. It may be your looks or your charm, or it may be both. You just have that certain "something." Whenever you make a Charisma based skill check, you may add +2 to the die roll.

DisadvantagesCan’t Lie (3): A character with this disadvantage just can't tell a good lie. He is at -4 to any Bluff check.Doubt (4): You have a problem. You have no confidence in one of your starting skills (chosen by the GM). Though you train and train, you still don't excel. The knowledge is there, but the doubt always lingers. In game terms, every time this skill is used, the DC required for the character to succeed is raised by 10.Epilepsy (4): Epilepsy is a rare disease, which can cause rigidity of muscles, shaking symptoms, and even death. It is a genetic dysfunction, which often arises when the character is under stress. Also, flashing lights (such as a fireworks display) can trigger a seizure. The Rokugani believe that a character with this malady has been touched by the kami, and that they are a channel for divine influences. Thus, any character that shows obvious signs of epilepsy (shaking fits, spasms, etc.) might be shunned by common society, but treated as a mystic or holy man by those brave enough to come near. When a character with Epilepsy is in a stressful situation, they must make a Will save at a DC of 15 to resist a seizure. If the character enters a seizure, they may make Willpower roll each round at a DC of 20 to end the seizure.Phobia [Hematophobia - fear of blood] (4): Every time you encounter your phobia, all rolls you make are at a penalty equal to the number of points you gained from this disadvantage. You may spend a Void Point to avoid this penalty for a single action.Small (3): You are below average height and weight. Your weapon is counted as one size category smaller when calculating damage.

Appearance
Hyota looks like an ordinary thirteen year old save for his fiery red hair and his piercing green eyes. Over his traveling clothes he wears a finely woven kataginu and an exquisite obi across his chest. On his left side is a wakizashi scabbard with the wakizashi plainly within. His remaining possessions reside in a pouch at his right side.

Personality
Hyota seems distant, as if always in deep thought, but is ever ready to assist should his aid be needed. He seems self conscious about his obvious small size. Even with his great knowledge he seems to doubt his abilities at times.

History
At an early age Hyota showed signs that he was somehow different from the other children of the Fox Clan. As a toddler his parents often found him appearing to read the scrolls that were around their home. But when he started talking at the age of two it was quickly apparent that he not only had been reading the scrolls but had memorized them all. So at the age of three he was enrolled in the Kitsune shugenja school. His epilepsy was seen as a holy gift.

At the age of seven he had learned all that his teachers could teach him. Frustrated by finding that there was limits to his teachers’ knowledge, Hyota quested deep into the Kitsune Forest where he communed with the Chikushudo. The spirits taught him more then he could learn from his earthly masters.

At the age of eleven he returned to his clan from the Chikushudo. His father gave him the family jade wakizashi. His mother gave him a special kataginu. The clan leader gave him a fine obi and several potions. They bid him farewell for he decided that he should travel the lands to learn more of this great world he lives in. One evening, he stopped to rest beneath the trees of the Kitsune Mori. When he awoke, a gold ring rested in the palm of his hand.

Advantages
-Benten’s Blessing (3): People are attracted to you. It may be your looks or your charm, or it may be both. You just have that certain "something." Whenever you make a Charisma based skill check, you may add +2 to the die roll.

Disadvantages
-Haunt (1)
-Softhearted (2): Must make DC 20 Will save to take human life

Appearance
Renshi has short, clean cut black hair and calm brown eyes. He is not the tallest of his clan, but neither is he very short. His face is soft and devoid of sharp edges, which seems to flow(literally) into the long robes. Among many, he woul be considered very attractive. They are a firey Phoenix red, which is ironic in his devotion to water.

Personality
Isawa Renshi is calm, and slow to anger or action. His emotions rule him more than anything, and they flow like the waters of the ocean. While he sees himself as a healer and pillar of strength, Renshi will fight if necissary, though he has always had problems with the idea of taking a human life.

Background
Renshi, like most others, was born into his place. Unlike some, however, he was born into the perfect place. As a member of the Isawa family, he had access to the magic of the world from a young age, and his talent in this field was easily seen and developed. He grew up learning the truth about magic and how to develop it within himself. However, unlike many in his family, he has only taken a small interest in the Void. He sees that it has great potential and power, but that is not what he seeks. He simply seeks to prove his honor to the ruling members of the family, and hopefully one take take a place among the elders. Of course, this will most
likely be a tough road for one ruled by their emotions, as he can make comments or take actions where one should not in the normal course of proper behavior. While his family can accept this, it would be dangerous for himself to act soley from his emotions within a more public setting. Every so often, he finds that these actions attract the ire of an ancestor, who comes to haunt him, expressing their distaste in ways that are more than worrying

Background
To Reiko, the Tear Drop Island of Ryoko Owari was always home – if one could call that home. Born to a low ranking family, even as a child, Reiko worked for the different specialty houses on the island -- doing odd jobs for the Geishas in exchange for food and shelter. Blessed with strikingly good appearance, Reiko became the object of affection of the women he worked for and they readily took him in as one of their own. Reiko learned well from his informal teachers.

A few years before his gempukku, his reputation reached the ears of the Scorpion courtier Shosuro Yasuko, who heard of the boy thru her contacts in the City. She bought the boy from his parents and brought the boy with her to the Dojo of Bitter Lies where Reiko’s formal studies began. For years Reiko worked, learning much from the training and often using his appearance to his benefit.

In the next succeeding years, Reiko was assigned to various post on and off the Scorpion Lands switching between the roles of a Scorpion samurai and at times disguised under different identities. However in one of his missions he was discovered and got himself involved in a scandal. It took his sensei, Shosuro Aroru, to pull some strings in order to clear things up. From then on he was obligated to serve Aroru. Reiko had to surrender his Katana and was duty-bound to do whatever his sensei asks him to do until he redeems himself. This is likewise the reason why Reiko fights with two wakisashi.

Recently he was assigned to a well-known scorpion lord, to whom he serves as yojimbo. In the court he continues his masquerade as a Scorpion bushi and poised to defend his new lord. However, his true mission is clear - to use his natural abilities and skills and serve as a distraction. For while everyone while everyone’s attention is diverted to him the Scorpion clan might be able to function uninterrupted.

Ancestors
-Bayushi (Feat): You are descended from Bayushi, the first Scorpion, whose love for his daughter proved his final downfall. You get a +2 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks. You have a kharmic tie to another character. You may detect the direction of this character if he or she is alive, on the same plane, and you succeed at an Intuit Direction check against DC 15 (or a Wisdom check if you do not have the skill). A failure on this check gives no information. You may retry once per round as a standard action.

Advantages
-Benten’s Blessing (3): People are attracted to you. It may be your looks or your charm, or it may be both. You just have that certain "something." Whenever you make a Charisma based skill check, you may add +2 to the die roll.
-Luck (9): You may re-roll three unsuccessful rolls during a session.

Disadvantages
-Bad Sight (2): With this disadvantage, the PC is at –2 for all sight-based skills checks, such as Spot, Search and Knowledge: Nobility (when trying to recognize a clan or family mon).
-Chemical Dependency (3): This character is addicted to opium. She needs to feed her addiction on regular intervals or suffer –5 subdual for every day that he goes without her drug of choice.
-Colorblind (1): Some samurai have eyes that are paler than most of Rokugan's natives, and sometimes this causes colorblindness. The Colorblind character can see colors as shades of gray, but cannot tell the difference between shades. This results in –2 to all Knowledge: Nobility checks when trying to recognize a clan or family mon.
-Phobia: Oni (4): Every time you encounter your phobia, all rolls you make are at a -4 penalty. You may spend a Void Point to avoid this penalty for a single action.
-Small (3): You are below average height and weight. Your weapon is counted as one size category smaller when calculating damage.
-Wrath of the Kami (Fire) (3): There is something about you that the spirits of Rokugan do not like. Perhaps your soul was born unclean, your ancestors wish to show their disfavor of you, or you have offended them in some way. In any case, the kami of the Empire go out of their way to harm you when they are directed to do so by a shugenja. Any time a fire spell is cast to harm or hinder you directly, it is cast as if the caster were 2 levels higher.

Personality
Shosuro Zhiko has something to prove... a reaction to the combination of her small size, upbringing, and the mistrust that others show to Scorpions. This desire for dominance conceals a more needy and approval-seeking interior, which she struggles to suppress. She tends to be slightly unsubtle for a Scorpion, but can still outthink the average samurai. Her solutions to problems tend to be brutal, effective, and permanent. She strongly values the "Scorpion bushido" code, and is offended when others dismiss her commitment or loyalty.

Background
Publically, Shosuro Zhiko is a merchant for the Scorpion clan, dealing with matters of money which more honorable Samurai would disdain. Few believe this is the extent of her skills.

Shosuro Zhiko is also an expert duellist, but she carries her katana in social environments. She is especially known for her non-threatening demeanor, and the lethality of her cut, which strikes men down like lightning. Those who are easily fooled believe this is her purpose: to lure the complacent or foolish into insulting the Scorpion when they assume themselves to be safe, so that they may be challenged and eliminated. Like all good lies, this bears some trace of truth.

For the more knowledgable, Zhiko is clearly a weapon. She acts for whose who are more subtle, and more concealed, eliminating threats without exposing the hand of the Scorpion or upsetting delicate covers. She does not confine herself to public confrontations, nor to violence, being capable of eliminating threats diplomatically, through stealth, or guile, or poison. Those who underestimate the Scorpion find themselves stung, and like all good lies, this one bears more than passing resemblance to the truth.

Only the those trusted implcitly know the deeper truth: Zhiko epitomizes the twin Scorpion virtues of open duplicity and total loyalty. She is the blatant lie, the simple deception which alludes to depth, the unexpected lunge when a feint was expected. Aroru trusts her implcitly, because only he realizes how uncomplicated she truly is. Like all good lies, this one is composed entirely of the truth.

History
There are several incidents of note in Zhiko's history which lead her to her current level of skill.

Her first task for the Shosuro was intended to serve as a distraction. She was told to attack and kill an enemy noble, but above all, not to be caught. When it became clear that she would not be able to complete her mission, she committed one of the greatest sins of the Rokugani: she intentionally started a fire. Fire is rarely used by criminals in a land where entire villages of paper houses stand close by one another. It is too indiscriminate. Zhiku surely knew that she would likely be killed for such an act, even if she escaped. Many people died in the resulting fire, but the noble died. So did the heir the Scorpions wanted in his place. To the surprise of many, Shosuro was not executed: her loyalty impressed her masters, and they allowed her to live, 'though she still bears the marks of their "education" on the dangers of fire to this day. The Scorpion eventually forgave her. It is unlikely the kami ever will.

Zhiko has also travelled the lands of many clans, including the mountains which form the only border between Scorpion and Lion lands. It was here, near a mountain lake, that she encountered a vicious Oni. The encounter is best not recounted, for it nearly shattered her mind, and cost the life of the young red-haired monk she had been assigned to follow.

She fled back to Ryoko Owari, where she lost herself for a short time in the opium dens. It was only when a group of firemen attempted to use her addiction to force her to plot against her family that she came out of this self-imposed retirement. Her masters are well aware of her addiction, but she has never allowed it to be used as leverage against the Scorpion. Thus, they leave well enough alone, cataloging it as one more way of keeping control of her loyalty.

It may seem that Zhiko's life is overburdened with great tragedies, but this is the irony fate has in store for her. Zhiko leads a life of nearly charmed luck in her everyday activities, balanced by the occasional tragedy. In this life, perhaps, she may come to learn the value of the little things.

Ancestors
Daidoji Yohko (-3): Characters with Daidoji Yohko as an Ancestor inherit her devotion, and cannot be affected by Fear as long as they are aiding someone else. However, they can never knowingly abandon someone who needs their help. This includes championing courtiers in duels (whether or not you agree with them), always being the last to leave a battlefield of retreating men, and pursuing friends lost to the Shadowlands.

Advantages
Inner Gift: Danger sense (6): The character with this Inner Gift cannot be ambushed, regardless of the circumstances or the skills of his opponents. He cannot be caught flat-footed, and sneak attack may not be used on him.Quick (3): You're just faster than other folks. When determining Initiative, roll two dice and keep the higher.

Disadvantages
Can’t Lie (3): A character with this disadvantage just can't tell a good lie. He is at –4 to any Bluff check.Adult Dependent (1): You have someone who is completely dependent upon you. Who it is (a child, grandparent, etc.) is up to you, but they are helpless without you. Good examples of dependents include small children and aged grandparents, but a naive spouse could also be included as a dependent. Lame (3): You have a crippled leg. Your base speed is decreased by 10 feet, and all Dexterity based skills are at –2.

Description
Kaji could have been be an imposing figure were it not for his limp and naturally kind disposition. He was not a large man, but there was a solidarity and purpose in him which justified his samurai status. Aside from his limp he was characterised by dark brown eyes, a fair complexion and dyed white hair common among the Daidoji. He was not exceptionally attractive, but he was a charismatic man, and always made an effort to be polite. His wife, Ayame, was an exceptionally attractive women in her early twenties, of small build with brown hair and hazel eyes. She had a keen sense of fashion and loved entertaining guests, but she was incredibly naive, making her very dependent on her husband. She was also quite inquisitive, and tended to become excessively fretful when she knew her husband would be at risk of harm. Thus when business took Kaji far from home he found himself bringing Ayame to ensure she didn't get into trouble during his absence.

Background
Kaji was born to be a yojimbo, and he gladly took that path. He possessed impressive reaction times, and a sixth sense about impending danger. This combined with the natural devotion inherited from one of his ancestors made him a daunting challenge for anyone who would desire to harm his master. He acquired considerable experience during the early days of his career, and was respected in his field. Kaji made his parents proud, as his father was a yojimbo before him and saw the potential in his son.

Kaji's parents, Daidoji Shikamaru and Yasuki Ritsuko had three children. Kaji was the middle child, the eldest was his brother Batou who was also a samurai and was heavily involved with the military, and the youngest was his sister Hakane, who became a courtier. Kaji on occasion had seen some military service with his brother, fighting in minor conflicts, but most of the time he protected a courtier by the name of Doji Kaiten. Kaiten may have had his share of illwishers, but it was not while protecting him that Kaji acquired his leg injury, it was while protecting an old friend of his. Kasuga Shino, a useful ally of Kaiten's from the Turtle clan, was visiting Kaiten so the two of them could make arrangements. On a particularly rainy day, while Kaiten and Shino were moving about town, an enemy of Shino's saw ample opportunity to make their move.

In hindsight, Kaji found the trap was set out intricately. Whoever's Shino's enemy was had originally intended for his death to look accidental in front of the many people in the street, and had gone to great lengths to make sure Shino was the only one who came to harm. As Shino crossed the street a scuffle started on the road opposite, and his yojimbo strode over to clear the way for his master. As this happened an acquaintane of Kaiten suddenly started appeared, starting conversation with Kaji's master. Shino stood close to the middle of the road, waiting for his bodyguard to give him the all clear. It was then that Kaji felt something, and he let his instincts react. He darted over to Shino and shoved him clear as a pair of paniced horses drawing a cart materialised out of the heavy rain. Kaji was trampled in the place of Shino, and lay bloody and broken in the wake of the cart, barely conscious. Had the horses failed, a less subtle means of killing Shino had been arranged, and half a dozen thugs exited a back alley intending to kill the Turtle courtier.

Shino's yojimbo acted swiftly and professionally in the wake of the initial attack, moving to protect his master. Kaiten's initial impression was that Kaji was dead, but the alarm bells were still going off in Kaji's head. His left leg had been mangled, but as the thugs closed in to attack he rose back up from the mud and fought alongside Shino's bodyguard. The combat was brief and brutal, Shino's bodyguard slew four of the thugs and Kaji, even in his state, slew the remaining two. Once the thugs were dealt with and the threat had passed, Kaji collapsed back into the mud, finally unconscious. Over time he was brought back to good health with magic, but his left leg was so badly damaged that the best effort could only allow him to keep it at a significantly decreased degree of functionality. Even after recovery his left foot pointed inward somewhat and he had a noticable limp.

Shino was deeply thankful for the actions of Kaiten's yojimbo, and gained such respect for Kaji that he arranged for him to marry his youngest daughter, Kasuga Ayame, who quickly came to adore the samurai who saved her dear father's life. Unfortunately, to this day Kaji is unsure of whether the marriage was just a convenient excuse for Shino to put his naive and somewhat difficult daughter into the care of someone else. Kaji grew to care deeply for Ayame nonetheless, and always did his utmost to ensure her well-being. Kaji resumed working for Doji Kaiten, and though he did not doubt his ability with the katana he felt himself as being less capable of the job than before due to his lack of speed. He began trying to compensate for it through improving his swordsmanship.